Dual Blades
by Nanospeed
Summary: Sword Art Online. It is the first complete virtual world, where a massive castle floats endlessly in the sky. Players who logged into this next generation MMO, subsequently found that they could not logout. Death in-game means death in real life. Kirigaya Kazuto and Yuuki Asuna are two such players who take up the sword in order to challenge this world... and win their freedom.
1. A Fateful Encounter

Written by Nanospeed  
Edited by ToumaFF

**Chapter 1 – A Fateful Encounter**

* * *

When I wake up, the entire bedroom is bitter cold. I instinctively curl up in a ball and tug the loose covers of the thin blanket over my stiff and exposed limbs, but the action does little to warm me up now. My window is obviously shut to keep out the cool November weather, which could only mean that the house's heating system is off. I notice that somehow, cold sweat covers my entire bare back and a sore sensation is building at the back of my throat. Just great, I had to fall ill today out of all days. It's probably the common cold or the flu.

Stifling a yawn, I slowly prop myself up on one elbow. There's enough morning light to view and admire the lustrous metallic object resting on my bedside table. The Nerve Gear: a helmet-like device capable of establishing a direct link to the synapses of the human brain, making it possible to fully dive into a complete virtual world. This system is needed to play the internationally famous, Sword Art Online (SAO), critically acclaimed as the greatest game of all time. One o'clock marks the official launch of its servers, which means that I will finally get to play it at long last.

I swing my legs off the bed and slide into my comfortable slippers. I change into a set of fresh clothes and stretch a bit to warm myself up. Last night, for the second time in my life, I caught a glimpse of a shooting star sailing through the sky. The suburban neighborhood that I live in radiates intense levels of light pollution, making these already lucky sightings even rarer. At the spur of the moment, just before it disappeared, I wished for something really good to happen today. Pretty silly, I guess. Thinking back on it, perhaps I should have wished for a working heater or a cure to the common cold.

I open the door and head downstairs for breakfast. The pleasant smell of hot, delicious food fills the air as I get closer to the kitchen. I can always look forward to something other than cold cereal on Sundays because my cousin, Kirigaya Suguha, likes to cook at this time. Understandable, considering her long and hard training regimens. Also, my aunt and uncle are never home on the weekends, since the former works overtime and the latter works overseas, leaving no one to get angry in case a big mess is accidentally made. We used to freely laugh at such times, but things are different now.

Years ago, Sugu and I were like the closest of siblings. We practically did everything together as little kids. But one day, everything changed when I stumbled upon my erased records on the online national registry. I'm an adopted child. My biological parents were killed in a tragic accident. This simple truth shook me to my core, as if I was out of place, that I didn't belong. In despair, I blocked out the world. Sugu was left with the path I abandoned, the one of a kendo practitioner, the final wish of our dying grandfather. I was really selfish, though she seemed to not hold it against me.

"Good morning!" She says cheerfully. Her persona is literally the polar opposite of mine, outgoing and energetic. Although I don't like to admit it, I am socially awkward and quiet.

"Good morning Sugu," I greet back and force a small smile. My body is still not fully awake. I'm the night owl. She's the early bird. We hardly ever talk.

"The heater is broken," she states in a matter-of-fact tone and returns a natural smile of her own. It compliments her delicate face, fair skin, black hair and eyes as dark as a starless night. We look so very much alike. It's no wonder that total strangers can confuse me for a girl at a distance, which constantly bothers me to no end.

"I noticed," I reply, then cough to purge an itch building in my throat. I should bundle up with more layers and change my thin blankets to thick comforters if I decide to nap later on. "Anyways. May I help out with things here?"

"Yes please," she answers while dicing up vegetables on the cutting board. The white rice, canned meats, soup of the day, and milky hot chocolate seems to be already done. That leaves only one meal item left to prepare, the usual fluffy plain omelet.

"Okay," I say and head to the sink to wash my hands. There's no need to spread the germs around. After that, I add oil to the frying pan, turn up the stove to medium heat and whisk the eggs.

"You had mail the other day. What was in the package?" She speaks up, her question burning with genuine curiosity. In this technological age, non-commercial courier services are almost obsolete. The most recent delivery to the Kirigaya household was Sugu's custom order carbon shinai from a specialist sporting manufacturer almost eight whole months ago.

"Hardware upgrade," I answer honestly. I know that Sugu has absolutely no interest in these kinds of things, but a vague answer or an attempt to change the topic might make me look suspicious. "It's for my old Nerve Gear. Newer Nerve Gear models sold in retail shops now come pre-installed with them."

"Well. What does it do?" She questions with the same level of enthusiasm. I blink twice in surprise and wonder if this is all a joke. How odd. Normally, she would have made a distasteful comment by now. Maybe it's because of all the major news coverage that virtual reality is receiving lately.

"Soul Translation. I believe it's something built way before its time. When I played Sword Art Online in its beta testing phase a few months ago, the expansive virtual world was stunning and beautiful like scenes from a HD TV nature special. However, it's not perfect. The air had no dust, clothing couldn't wrinkle, liquids felt weird, and most objects were immortal."

"Immortal?" She repeats in confusion. Her head tilts, signaling for further elaboration.

"Erm- I guess unbreakable is the right word for it." I say, realizing that she's of course, not too familiar with the technical terminology.

"That makes sense. So how does Soul Translation work?"

"Hmm," I hum, since I don't quite fully understand the theory myself. "I think there's a limit to detail with binary codes and polygons. However, Soul Translators use a different medium that can handle all that overwhelming information. It uses the coding of the human conscience, or in nerdy terms: it replicates the flow of evanescent photons in our brain's microtubules. Everything's rendered down to the molecular level so that you will never notice a difference between real life and- Whoa!"

My explanation is cut short by the fluffy plain omelet burning on the unattended frying pan. I rush to the stove and hastily turn it off, before attempting to salvage what's left of the charred mess.

"Careful. I don't feel like cleaning up a mess today," she exclaims. One hand covers her mouth in an attempt to stifle a giggle from my fumbling reaction.

"Me too," I warily reply, but for an entirely different reason. I stoically turn back to face her. "What's with the questions? I thought you hated this stuff?"

Her expression slightly wavers at the shift to a tense atmosphere, but she quickly regains her composure. Suddenly, she looks way too mature for a girl one year younger than me. "You've changed you know? Not on the outside, but on the inside. I've ignored it till now, but not anymore. I know that you have a mask over your heart to hide some sort of deep secret. I want to understand. How can you spend countless hours on that thing? Is it safe? What if they rewrite your memories? What if something bad happens?"

The lecture is irritating, especially because I know deep down inside that she's right about my gaming addiction. I can only suspect that her imagination is acting wild again regarding the rest of her worries. Either that, or my aunt put her up to this. "You're starting to sound like your mom." I snap.

"Our mom," she snaps back in an effort to correct me. There's extra emphasis on the word 'our'. Her words are laced with hurt.

I sigh in frustration, because it wasn't my intention to offend her. At the very least, we're arguing like close siblings again. "Look, you're not the first, nor the last, to express their fears. I understand, it's the new and unknown. Federal governments around the globe have conducted extensive research on the matter and has deemed it safe for public use. Evanescent photon manipulation cannot erase or rewrite memories. So relax, okay?"

"You can't be completely sure," she mutters, her volume falling to an almost inaudible whisper. "There may be other bad things. Maybe we aren't seeing the entire picture."

"Sugu-"

She holds up one hand to silence me, inferring that she still has some important things to say. Her other hand reaches for a mug of hot chocolate and she downs it in one gulp. Seconds pass, then she stares at me straight into the eyes. "Come back to kendo. You were really good at it, really strong too. All you need is to give up your fake games and get some practice in. Before you know it, you'll be competing in tournaments too. We can be like before. Please."

I don't know how to respond to the pleading. Honestly, it's impossible for me. Sugu is a prodigy, a regional champion and a national quarter-finalist in our age bracket division. Our grandfather used to beam with pride with her accomplishments, but he always scorned me with looks of disappointment. I never want to feel that way again. "I'm sorry Sugu, but it's real. Real enough to me. It's the place where I feel most alive."

Another long awkward silence passes. As if ignoring my answer, she moves around to set down the plates and utensils. She then takes a seat at the dining table and slowly shakes her head. "I see. Then I'm going out to the mall with my friends to pick up a pre-ordered item later. I'll probably be back for lunch, but I will head out again for training."

I give a simple nod of acknowledgement and sit down too. I eat slowly, lost thought. My answer is obviously one that she didn't want to hear. Sugu constantly makes all of this effort to reconnect and I always turn her down. Have I really changed that much? Have I always placed my own feelings first? Maybe just this once, I should suck it up and accept her offer. Perhaps things will be different this time around.

I look up with intents to apologize, but no one is there to listen. Without even realizing it, my younger cousin already left the room.

Yet another unpleasant feeling builds up within me, forcing out a violent dry cough. It looks like my illness is taking a turn for the worse. Opting not to follow Sugu, I instead head to the medicine cabinet. The tablespoon of viscous syrup (non-drowsy formula) tastes bitter and nasty, but I guess I deserve it. I reluctantly pass the rest of my time doing the dishes, taking a long shower, folding the laundry, tinkering with the heater in the basement, scheduling an appointment with a furnace technician by phone, and finishing up my homework.

I skip lunchtime when Sugu does not return from her errands, a text message stating that she will be out for a little longer. It's okay, I wasn't feeling that hungry anyways. I return to my bedroom and lock the door. The latest edition of MMO Stream catches my attention for a bit, but I end up spending the final hour on a popular weekly news magazine. The top article is of an interview with Director Kayaba Akihiko, the genius creator of SAO and the Nerve Gear. He founded a multi-billion dollar company, Argus Industries, from the ground up. A true role model, but also an enigma. Nobody really knows what his goals and ambitions are, because he prefers to remain hidden from public eye.

The coughing becomes more frequent and I groan at how fragile life can really be at times. Maybe I should consider resting my own body to get better soon. With that in mind, I hop into bed and reach for my own personal Nerve Gear, while taking care not to accidentally pull out the power supply or Ethernet cable. As I place the helmet over my head, a small smile forms on my lips when the internal digital clock shows me that it is a minute before one o'clock. The game servers are about to open. All I need is one simple voice command to continue:

"Link start!"

The Nerve Gear breathes to life as a mechanical hum momentarily fills my ears. My vision fades to darkest black, then to the purest white, then to a rush of every color imaginable. A foreign feeling washes over me as my central nervous system reroutes to the Argus Industries Network, and the real world slowly fades away. A virtual window prompts me for my login information, to which I mentally input my unique username and password. After that, a matrix of data flickers into my consciousness as everything begins to boot-up.

«Touch. Sight. Hearing. Taste. Smell. - Sense Reproduction Engines OK...»

«Language: Japanese. - Real Time Translation Program ACTIVE... »

«Character Avatar Creation: Beta-test data still available: Kirito (M). Would you like to load it?»

I accept without hesitation. The character avatar is simply your body in the virtual world. Creating it from scratch is like a tedious surgical procedure, but enjoyable in its own right. People can be anything they choose to be. Customizations range from age, gender, facial features, body proportions, hair color, eye color, etc. Also, an easy option to quickly randomly generate a character avatar exists for those who don't care much for it. However, I already have a ridiculously tall and masculine one from the beta-test, which I really happen to like. So why not take it?

«Welcome to Sword Art Online!»

As if snapping out of a long daydream, I slowly open my eyes in a daze. I'm not in my bedroom anymore. This place is the central square of the City of Beginnings, a place of arrival for new players. It's like the heart of a downtown shopping district, where crowds bustle about the surrounding majestic medieval structures. I stare in awe between the wandering stray animals, the town criers, the blacksmithing hammers, the water in the marble fountain, the fireworks in the sky, and minstrels playing background music. There isn't a trace of artificiality anywhere at all. So this is the true power of Soul Translation.

I clench my fists in anticipation. I'm finally back in this world. I make a mental note to not forget about my real body that I left on the other side. I should logout later and regularly for snacks, water and medicine. Without wasting anymore time, I run out pass all of the houses, inns, restaurants and vendors. I weave through strolling groups of amazed casual players and take shortcuts through the cobblestone alleyways. Beyond the fortified stone walls is an expansive green meadow and the first suitable hunting ground to venture in, probably full of resources yet to be taken.

"Hey! Wait! You there!" The loud voice of a stranger calls out from behind. It's a man in his late teens or early twenties bearing the rugged looks of a certain movie actor. He's wearing the standard beginner's clothing, which consists of plain leather boots, a cotton tunic and cotton pants. Although, he also possesses an uncommon bandana over his flowing red hair.

"Yes?" I answer cautiously. Why did this person follow me this far out to the city outskirts?

The man jogs up to me and hunches over to catch his breath. "Whew. Too fast. You move like you've been here before. You must have been in the beta-test right?"

"Y-yeah." I reply honestly. A few months ago, I was lucky enough to win a contest that granted me a beta-tester key. To my knowledge, only one-thousand of these coveted items were up for grabs in Japan, each granting exclusive early access to SAO. I've logged in hundreds of hours, but I can confidently say that I've only seen a meager fraction of what this near infinite game has to offer. Still, the wealth of knowledge that I have acquired back then should help give me a head start towards becoming a top player now.

"Today's obviously my first day," he exclaims and pats me on the shoulder like I'm his new best friend. "Show me the basics okay?"

"Uh- Um," I'm at a loss for words. I wonder how he could be so shameless and so demanding to a person he hadn't met before.

"I'm begging you," he says and clasps his hands together. At least this person is humble, or desperate. "My name's Klein. Nice to meet you."

Ah, what the heck. SAO is a role-playing game (RPG) after all. There's no need to act so hostile to a player potentially living hundreds of miles away. "I'm Kirito. Erm- Why don't we visit the weapon shop?"

At the forge, I buy a «Starter One-handed Straight Sword», because I was adept with this particular weapon type in the beta-test. Klein hesitantly buys the «Starter One-handed Curved Sword» on a whim, because it looks like an "epic" samurai's katana. Oh well, if he doesn't like it, he can exchange it for an axe or a spear later. These weapons are quite cheap and generic, allowing for poor and new players alike to experiment a bit. After that, we exit through the iron gates of the city and cross the oak drawbridge into the green meadows.

Similar to any traditional RPG, monsters inhabit the wilderness and yield «Exp», «Col» and «Items» upon death. Accumulating «Exp», experience points, is the real world equivalent to physically training your body to become more powerful. «Col» is the currency of SAO. Depending on the value, coins and ingots may be minted in copper, bronze, silver, gold, platinum or mithril. «Items» can be anything from consumables like food or potions, to equipment like plate armor or picks, to raw material like spider silk or leather hide.

"Gwah- right in the crotch," Klein cries out in pain as a level 1 E-class monster, the «Frenzy Boar», knocks him aside with a charging trample attack. Level is the measure of a player or monster's power in SAO, which starts as low as level one as the weakest. Class is the measure of a monster's rarity, which starts at E as common to A as rare. Apparently, there are rumors on the internet forums of the S-class, or secret rare, which drops incredible items of priceless value. I doubt I'll ever see one in the future.

"Give me a break," I mutter with my hands at my waist. I close my eyes and sigh at the unnecessary drama. Me, Klein and the wild animal are level 1, which means that any damage taken is minimal. Even if Klein were to be hit with an apocalypse bearing meteor right now, the game's pain absorber program will let him feel nothing more than a pins and needles prickling sensation. "You shouldn't be feeling any pain."

He blinks upon the revelation and instantly calms down. "Oh, yeah. You're right. I guess it's just a habit."

"I told you. What's important is your initial movements," I say, referring to SAO's «Sword Skills», which are powerful attacks preprogrammed into the game servers. Every skill is unique, requiring its own prerequisite movements to activate and offering a mix of extra offensive power, defensive tenacity or tactical utility in a combat situation.

"Sure, I get that. But it keeps moving around," Klein whines.

"You should a feel a force building up inside if you properly activate the skill. Don't resist. The system assist will guide your character avatar to execute the rest and the technique will connect." For visual demonstration, I pick up a rock and take the stance to aim. Energy builds up in my arms and I allow the system assist to take over. The rock glows with a blue ethereal sheen and my arm automatically launches it with the force of a speeding bullet. The projectile whistles through the air and makes a satisfying thump as it scores a headshot on the frenzy boar, successfully grabbing its attention.

"Wow," Klein breathes out at the display. "But, why can't I just swing my blade around with my own ability, like in real life fencing or kendo?"

"Those are called normal attacks. It has greater freedom and versatility, but it lacks bonuses granted by the game server. Combinations of both «Sword Skills» and normal attacks are essential to becoming an advanced player," I answer while sidestepping the frenzy boar's trampling charge. The blue leathery creature circles around for a lighter attack and I block its sharp ivory tusks easily with my sword. Hot vapor blows out its snout like steam, and its red eyes stare up at me in deep primal anger.

"Alright. So I have to master this then no matter what," Klein yells with determination as he readies himself into a stance. "Initial movements. Initial movements. Initial movements," he repeats to himself, as if it's lecture material to be regurgitated on a written exam. Suddenly, his eyes light up and I can only suspect that he's finally pieced everything together. The curved blade in Klein's hands begin to glow with a solar red light.

He's now ready for first blood. I kick the frenzy boar away and its aggression diverts towards Klein. The wild animal scratches the soft earth with its hoof in preparation for another charge, but it's useless. Klein unleashes a single vicious hit that visually takes the form of a slicing maelstrom. It's known commonly as the «Sword Skill: Reaver». The frenzy boar bounces off the ground several times and its HP (hit points) bar value depletes to zero. With its virtual life force gone, the corpse shatters into countless particles with the reverberating sound of breaking glass.

Klein is in silent shock, as if he achieved the impossible. Then, joy washes all over his face and he strikes a victory pose. "All right!" He roars, like a protagonist from an action film.

I can't blame him for the ruckus. I remember that triumphant feeling from when I had slain my first monster. "Congrats," I say and give him a high five. Though after a few seconds, I can't help but burst his bubble. "Unfortunately, that boar's about as weak as slimes."

"Eh- Seriously?! I thought it was a mid-level boss or something."

"Of course not," I reply and roll my eyes. In the distance a few more frenzy boars spawn, appearing out of thin air to replace its fallen comrade. Despite their intimidating appearance, these monsters are born to be easy prey for eager learning beginners.

Klein shrugs and starts to take different forms and stances, observing if there are other initial movements that would activate «Reaver». "This is pretty amazing Kirito. Hey, there's a lot of other skills right? Like fishing, mining, woodcutting, tailoring, crafting, blacksmithing, cooking, farming, alchemy-"

"There's no magic," I interject. In traditional RPGs, there's always a mage that remains behind the vanguard, firing lock-on spells with perfect accuracy and precision. In SAO, only certain intelligent monsters possess exclusive access to spells of holy light, evil shadow or the four natural elements. These attacks do not lock-on. It's fair and balanced that way. Technically, there are rare artifacts such as «Teleport Crystals» or «Status Ailment Cure Crystals» that drop from stronger monsters further into the game, but I'll explain it to him on another day.

"An RPG without magic? That's a pretty bold decision," Klein says and flicks his wrist, which causes «Reaver» to go off again for the second time. There's a wide grin on his face when the glow of pure red light pulsates through the grey, dull curved sword. By trial and error, he has found another way to activate the same sword skill all by himself. He's actually starting to look like a true samurai warrior with all of that extra confidence.

"Isn't it more fun to move your body as you fight?" I ask, already knowing the answer. It's quite obvious that he's enjoying the feel of a melee weapon with or without magic.

"You bet!"

"Alright then. Let's hunt for the next frenzy boar."

ooo

The afternoon delivers a brilliant sunset, its gentle rays reflect with a shimmering sparkle against the cascading waterfalls falling from distant floating islands, and the orange twilight skies cause flocks of birds, winged horses and wyverns to migrate to destinations unknown. After many hours of earning «Exp», we decide to take refuge in the part of the meadow encircled by six stone pillars, almost like a miniature Stonehenge. Similar to cities and towns, this spot is a «Safe Area», where monsters cannot normally enter due to restrictions set by the game.

"Whew," Klein breathes out and collapses in exhaustion onto the soft, lush carpet of grass. "I still can't believe it, no matter how many times I see it. That we're still in a game. It's really all amazing. Seriously, I'm glad I was born in this time."

"You make a big deal out of everything," I reply jokingly and lean against a stone pillar. Still, I can't deny that I feel the exact same way.

"Give me a break. It's my first Full Dive!" He laughs.

Despite the technology being in its infancy stage, virtual reality has taken the world by storm. Governments and well-known corporations have developed the Nerve Gear for other applications, such as in the field of healthcare where bedridden patients suffering from autoimmune diseases can still experience life like never before. In the field of education, teachers can take students on virtual field trips to the Egyptian pyramids or the Roman coliseums. There are even accusations of the military having secret dealings with Argus Industries, where scientists are attempting to turn artificial intelligence into a weapon.

"Really? This your first time using the Nerve Gear?" I ask.

"Yeah! Me and my friends camped in front of the store overnight to each snag one of those ten-thousand first edition collectors copies. The line-up went down for blocks and there were SAO representatives organizing games and concerts as entertainment. It was definitely fun. But how about you? Aren't you the most lucky? I heard that beta-tester copies came with all this free stuff, like replica swords."

"I wish," I mutter silently, since I didn't exactly receive any special treatment. In the beta-phase server stress tests, SAO administrators claimed the official release would equally accommodate the one-thousand original beta-testers and ten-thousand new players. Instead, millions of standard copies have been printed and sold out all over the globe. How has SAO changed to accommodate such a large population number? Are there multiple servers with one starting city each? Or is there one super server with multiple starting cities?

"How far did you get into the beta?" Klein asks, snapping me away from my thoughts.

"With a couple of months, we got to floor 8. This time around it'll take less than a month," I answer optimistically. With such a large number of dedicated players, anything is possible.

"You're really into this," Klein chuckles at my response. His tone shows mild amusement. Maybe because it looks like I'm the one now making such a big deal out of something.

I draw my sword and admire it against the light of the setting sun. "To be honest, during the beta-test. SAO was all I thought about, all day and night. In this virtual world, a strong will and a single sword can take you anywhere you want to go. You can't help but feel so alive," I say and pause to take a few practice swings. The blade whistles as it cuts through the empty air. "Anyways, we have 95% of the «Exp» needed to promote to level 2. Want to hunt some more?"

"Of course, I'd love to!" Klein exclaims, but the noise of his rumbling stomach cuts him off. "Ugh- But I feel really hungry. I'm logging out for a pizza delivery scheduled to arrive at my house for 5:30."

Right, that reminds me, my real body may be feverish under several layers of clothing under thick comforters. I should logout right now to make sure I'm not overheating. The experience of being badly dehydrated from excessive sweating or forgetting to drink water, is definitely not a pleasant experience. Considering that I skipped lunch, cooking an early dinner isn't that bad of an idea either. "You're so prepared."

He grins at the compliment and stands up to brush the grass off his clothes. "After I've eaten, I'll be meeting some people that I know from another game. Do you want to hang out with us?"

"Um," I hesitate in my response. Should I say yes? By some miracle, I get along with Klein pretty well because of his easygoing personality, despite my poor first impression of him. There's no guarantee that it will be the same for all his friends. For some reason, I feel like there's a higher chance of not getting along in a group, and as a result of the fallout, I may lose my friendship with Klein as well.

Klein seems to register my unconfident reaction and shakes his head vigorously.

"Of course, if you don't want to now, that's okay. I can always introduce you to them another time."

Well that's a relief. "Yeah. Sorry. And thanks."

Klein reaches out an arm and puts it around my shoulder reassuringly. "Hey! That's my line. One day, I'll repay for sharing your leading edge knowledge with me. If there's anything you need, just send me an online private message. Thank you so much man. I'll see you around."

We shake hands. "Of course we will."

After waving farewell, I put my right index finger to my thumb and pull downwards. This swiping action activates the main menu window on a holographic window with the sound of a ringing chime. There are five touch screen options: «Inventory and Equipment», «Friends and Guild», «Messenger and Chat», «Maps and Quest», and «Settings and Logout». I select the last option, an icon of gears, which enlarges a list of other sub-menus. Here, I look for the most obvious «Logout» button to disconnect my mind from the game servers and return to the comforts of my own bedroom. But, it isn't there...

"Huh. There's no logout button," Klein remarks in tone of puzzlement, which confirms that this oddity is not a figment of my imagination. "Kirito! I can't find it! It's really not here!"

"Yeah. I know," I say and nod my head, although it feels slightly annoying to agree so easily. To make sure it isn't a random fluke, I refresh my main menu window to double check and even triple check, but the results are still the same. "Common sense tells me that this is an error or bug. Let's contact a Game Master. If there's anybody who knows what's going on, it would be them."

Game masters are paid employees working under SAO server administrators. Their responsibilities range from banning malicious players to dealing with any unforeseen technical difficulties. I select the «Call GM» option under the «Settings and Logout» sub-menu, but there is no live response. Eventually an automated message appears. "We are currently experiencing an abnormally high volume of calls right now. Please wait for one of our customer representatives to assist you. Sorry for the inconvenience. Estimated time left: Undefined."

"Well, it's the first day so these sort of bugs could occur. Around about now, the GMs should be crying by now from the number of messages flooding in," Klein muses calmly, while rubbing his chin.

I begin to impatiently tap my foot. Players have real life expectations to live up to. Imagine all the lawsuits from people missing critical exams, medications, business meetings and family obligations. The very future of virtual reality may be crippled from an accident as bad as this. Klein may not fully understand the consequences yet. "Is that all right for you to stand around like that? You said you ordered a pizza."

I sigh from watching him jump up, his eyes widening in panic. "Oh no! My anchovy pizza and ginger ale! There has to be another way out of this. Return! Log out! Escape! Control, alt, delete! Link end!"

"There's no voice command to end the game," I bluntly reply after watching him shout and make silly flailing motions. "The instruction manual doesn't mention any methods regarding emergency access terminations."

"How about a more direct approach then? I'll try removing the Nerve Gear directly," Klein says as his hands grasp at open air overhead. Instead, he just knocks off his bandana, which falls slowly to the ground. "Oh. I was sure that would work."

"The Nerve Gear prevents you from moving your real body laying back home," I state while pointing to my neck, specifically the spinal cord. "Every non-vital signal is cut off. Think of it as a safety feature that will prevent any real world accidents, such as banging your arm on a bedside table or falling down the stairs. I guess that someone has to forcefully remove the Nerve Gear for us. A friend or family member is bound to realize that something is wrong when we remain missing for far too long."

"But, I live alone," Klein mutters dejectedly. His arms falling in defeat. "How about you?"

"Well-" I pause, a bit hesitant to tell the whole truth. "My younger sister will definitely notice if I don't come down for dinner."

"What?" Klein grabs my shoulder and looks at me with sparkling eyes. "How old is your sister?"

I give Klein a death glare and push his head away with one palm. "Don't you dare even think about it. She's in a sports club and hates games. She's got nothing in common with guys like us. More importantly. Don't you find this all weird?"

"Well yeah. But, all we can really do now is sit back and wait."

"...!"

Without any warning, a deafening noise echoes throughout the empty skies. It sounds like a giant bell that rings in long, low notes that instigates a serious, ominous feeling. My thoughts begin to race, trying to figure out what's going on, but before I can even utter out a single word, something unexpected happens. A pillar of familiar blue light envelops my body, its brightness forcing me to partially shield my eyes with an arm. My vision of the surrounding meadow deforms into an indistinct blur and then disappears in one final, brilliant flash.

The strong lights subside and the tolling bell ceases. I open my eyes and realize that we are back at the central square of the City of Beginnings, but neither me or Klein possess a «Teleport Crystal» for instantaneous travel. More players warp in due to a mass recall, which could only be the result of an SAO administrator's intervention. The players' reactions range from confusion to anger. Some are even yelling, their collective voices getting increasingly louder, demanding information regarding their missing logout button.

"Ah, above us! Look to the sky!" One voice in the crowd bellows louder than the rest.

Like everyone else, I look up to see a few holographic panels each in the shape of a crimson hexagon. Upon closer inspection, two messages in bold letters alternate between each panel: **'Warning'** and **'System Announcement'**. The crimson hexagons rapidly multiply to eclipse the entire sky and a liquid resembling blood begins to ooze out of it. This liquid pools down, but it doesn't fall all the way to the ground. Instead, with a flicker of static electricity, the liquid morphs into a hovering twenty meter towering figure wearing a Game Master's sanguine robe with embroidered gold edges. There's no face to be seen under the cloth hood, only rising black smoke like an empty shadow.

**"Players, I welcome you all to my world."**

The anonymous GM outstretches his arms in a dramatic fashion and his authoritative voice causes an unifying silence to fall upon the crowd. I don't understand. Is this some sort of grand opening event?

**"My name is Kayaba Akihiko. As of this moment, I am the sole person in control."**

This fact is quite a surprise. I guess I'm used to seeing him as a thin man in a lab coat, true to the pictures in the magazines. There are a few anxious murmurs questioning if that really is the director of Argus Industries. If he is, then it's within his power to trivially log us all out in the blink of an eye. So why isn't he doing so?

**"I'm sure you've already noticed that the logout button is missing from the main menu, but this is not a defect in the game. It is a feature of Sword Art Online."**

With a white gloved hand, he opens the master main menu to reveal that the logout button is still missing. This is all intentional. I suddenly recall my conversation with Sugu and realize that something is indeed very wrong.

**"No one from the outside can shut down or remove your Nerve Gear, more specifically, dislocation from an outside source of electricity for more than ten minutes, being cut off from the network servers for more than two hours, or any attempt to unlock, dismantle, or destroy the Nerve Gear. Should any of this be attempted, the transmitters in the Nerve Gear will emit a powerful microwave, destroying your brain and thus ending your life."**

"What's he talking about? He's gotta be joking! Right Kirito?" Asks Klein in a panic. Shock and disbelief is written all over his face from the apparent death threat.

"He's right that transmitter signals work just like microwaves. If the safety were disabled, the build up of thermal energy from the high-frequency heating can fry a brain," I reply in fear. This is no longer a game anymore.

**"Unfortunately, several players' friends and families have ignored this warning and attempted to do so anyways. As a result, 2.13% of our players are gone forever, from both the virtual world and the real world."**

No way. That has to be a lie. 2.13% is nothing short of mass murder. I notice in the corner of my eye that one group is on the verge of an emotional breakdown. They attempt to exit the Central Square, but an invisible barrier blocks their escape, forcing them to listen to rest of the speech.

**"As you can see, news organizations across the globe are reporting this, including the deaths. Thus, you can assume the danger of a Nerve Gear being removed is now minimal. In the two hours that I have allotted, all of you will be transported to hospitals or similar institutes to receive the best possible treatment. The Soul Translator driver will also accelerate your flow of time here to be seven times faster than normal. As long as you're here, you will not have to worry about your real bodies on the other side."**

Several screens appear and begin to orbit the towering sanguine robed figure. Every satellite channel is in a different language with a different dramatic headline, but every message is ultimately the same. Millions of SAO players are being held hostage by a cyber terrorist, his motives are unknown. Government funding is being allotted to victim care in addition to Argus Industries' wealth. On one screen, I spot someone crying next to boy with a Nerve Gear on his way to the emergency room. Is this what Sugu and my aunt- no, my mother, are experiencing right now?

**"Remember this clearly. Pain absorbers are now disabled and there are no longer any methods to revive someone within the game. If your HP bar drops to zero, your character avatar will be forever lost. And simultaneously, the Nerve Gear will destroy your brain. There is only one means of escape, defeat the final boss on floor 100."**

All of the television screens disappear and a scaled down model of the realized world, Aincrad, appears before him. An existence the size of countries- no, continents, fitting in a massive iron-and-stone castle defying space and time. Permanent death- Just how many times have I died in the beta-test? Even with sheer numbers, it may be near impossible now.

**"Finally, I've gifted a present to your item storage. Please see for yourselves."**

I obediently open up my main window and select the first option, an icon of a character. In my inventory list is a new item called the «Hand Mirror» and I immediately select the «Make Into Object» option. The mirror materializes in my hand and I see my customized masculine face on its reflective surface. Every other player seems to have received the same object as well. But before I can question why, another pillar of light envelops me. There are shrieks and cries of surprise as more lights capture every other player also.

"Are you okay Kirito?" Asks Klein in concern.

"Y-yeah," I look up to see a total unrecognizable stranger. But his voice, cloth armor and even bandana belong to the old Klein. Is my mind playing tricks on me?

"Who are you?"

"And who are you?" He questions back.

I look at my hand mirror and see that familiar delicate face, black hair, fair skin and dark eyes. It's my real face that I tried so hard to escape from. "Ah. It's me."

"You're Kirito?" The famous actor lookalike with flowing hair now resembles a bandit with messy hair. I can only assume that is Klein's true form from real life. "How?"

"Calibrations," I deduce out loud, observing that the players around me have also transformed from flawless supermodels to very ordinary looking people. "The Nerve Gear covers your entire head with a high density signaling device, so it can figure out what you're face looks like. The Soul Translator can decipher the evanescent photons in our brain, including our genetic data blueprints, which is used in calculating our real height and body shape. It was an unproven theory, till now."

"That makes sense," he says while roughly scratching his head at the absurdity of it all. "ARGH- But seriously, why?!"

**"Right now, you're probably wondering: 'Why?' Why would Kayaba Akihiko, creator of Sword Art Online and the Nerve Gear, do this? I did this all for one reason. To create this world and see it through. At long last, everything has been realized. This concludes the official tutorial for the official launch of Sword Art Online. Good luck, players."**

Anger flares up within me for admiring Kayaba Akihiko as my role model, but because of that, I can tell that this situation is not fake. So now, this is our only reality then. It turns out that we cannot escape our fragility and mortality even in the virtual world. If I die in the game, I die in real life.

The ghostly sanguine cloak melts back into a liquid and rises back into the sky. Seconds later, the crimson hexagons disappear in the same manner that it appeared, leaving behind a familiar, normal afternoon sky. The minstrels resume playing their music, overpowering the silence of the speechless players. Then all order degenerates to chaos after one hand mirror breaks on the ground. Countless voices scream, yell, beg and curse out in anger, sadness and despair. The surging crowd pushes and clamors for attention, demanding to logout. It's like the beginning of a riot.

I notice that the barrier trapping us in the central square is fading away. We need to get out of here. I grab Klein's arm. "Follow me!"

After distancing ourselves safely away from the chaos. I turn to face Klein and bluntly reveal my plan. "Listen to me and calm down. I'm heading to the next village right now and I want you to come with me. If what he said is true, then the only way to survive in this world is by making yourself as strong as possible. The players who realize this will soon hunt in the fields around this city, resulting in a fierce competition for «Exp», «Col» and «Items». You'll be waiting forever for new monsters to respawn. The next village is empty and our training should be efficient. I know all the paths and dangerous areas. Even at level 1, I can get us there safely."

"B- But you know that I spent a whole night to buy this with my friends from another game. They're probably out there, in the plaza. I can't leave them."

I look down dejectedly. I really want to take Klein's friends, but I don't know if I can protect two or even one extra traveler. If they die, how can I live with myself? It's such a heavy burden. I shake my head, I couldn't.

"Sorry. I can hardly ask you for anything else, can I? So don't worry about it. Go to the next village. I used to run a guild in my last game. I can use what you taught me to get by," Klein says with that admirable confidence, his hands at his waist.

"Alright. Then let's say our goodbyes here. If something happens, send me a message." As the words leave my mouth, I get a gnawing feeling that I'm going to regret this decision later.

"Will do."

"Okay, goodbye Klein," I turn and begin to slowly walk away. Unlike our previous casual farewell almost twenty minutes ago, I feel like this one is more on a sad note.

"Kirito!" He calls out. I stop, hoping he's changed his mind. That's terrible of me, wanting him to choose me over his best friends and I quickly cast out that thought.

"Hey, Kirito. You actually look pretty cool. That's definitely my style."

I force a smile, knowing that our separate paths will both be very dangerous from now on. "And that unkempt face suits you ten times better. Take care of yourself," I yell and will myself to sprint away. After several steps, I turn one last time to see an empty street. My only friend in this world has left. I'm all alone.

I run away, taking the exact same routes as I did hours before. It's darker though, and the quaint lampposts flanking the streets begin to flicker with flame. I know that I have to last through the evening, to stay one step ahead of every other player. Yet, I feel weird. My sprinting pace slows to a stagger. Before I know it, I'm slumping down against the lumber walls of a random inn. I check my HP bar and status condition, which are full and normal respectively. I can only suspect that this terrible, feverish sensation has something to do with my real life body.

This is bad. I can't even drag myself up, let alone make it out past the gates into the wilderness now. I open my main menu window and select the «Messenger and Chat». I select Klein's name with intent to send a private text and call him back, but I can't even muster the stamina to type out more than three letters. If things are that bad on the other side, I can only hope that Sugu or my aunt is rushing me to the hospital at this very moment. Otherwise, I may very well be the next casualty of this twisted death game.

I can feel my grip on consciousness fading, but I resist, praying that Klein would find me or that Sugu would somehow safely disconnect me. None of these happen, instead I hear someone call out, but the voice sounds so far away, as though in a dream. Then, all of a sudden, a girl with chestnut brown hair and hazel eyes is standing over me. Her expression is lined with worry, but even so, with her features glowing in the afternoon sun, to my fading senses, she looks simply dazzling. For reasons beyond my comprehension, I smile broadly and genuinely. I guess wishing for something good to happen today did pay off after all.

Everything then fades to black...


	2. Little Red Riding Hood

Written by Nanospeed  
Edited by ToumaFF

**Chapter 2 – Little Red Riding Hood**

* * *

I remember the day when I tried to quit my kendo lessons once and for all. My grandfather agreed on the condition that I would fight and score a single hit on him. However, I was restricted from wearing any protective gear and we were using harder wooden swords instead of the softer bamboo trainers. The task was impossible, because he was a master in _The Way of the Sword_, possessing family techniques passed down throughout the generations. Perhaps he was bitter because he couldn't teach my uninterested uncle or my deceased father. I ended up bloodied and bruised, yet I defiantly refused to yield and show any signs of weakness. Little Sugu had to run in and shelter my body with her own, crying that she would do my share of kendo practices in order to stop him from hitting me. I was utterly helpless though. The final impact had knocked every wisp of air from my lungs, and I lay there struggling to inhale, to exhale, to do anything.

That's how I feel now, trying to remember how to breathe, to move, to think. Coming to in an unfamiliar lodging inn, a place meant for a player to leave their character avatar for bonus resting «Exp» before a logout, which is an option no longer available anymore. A quick check of my main menu window confirms this, though what really sends me into a panic is my «Messenger and Chat» box, which is flooded with messages from a very worried Klein. I couldn't reply back to any, because I was apparently knocked out cold for almost seven days. I suppose that something serious happened to my real body on the other side; The severe flu or strong anesthetics could have shut me down. I guess it shouldn't come off as a big surprise, considering that Kayaba Akihiko set the flow of time to be accelerated seven times faster in this virtual world.

At least my overwhelming fatigue seems to be gone for good. I survey my surroundings to get my bearings straight. One oil lamp, one hard bed, one oak chair and this minimalist room is still quite cramped. The view beyond the window contains nothing but the dull, grey, stone city walls. Not exactly prime property, which is a smart choice on the tenant's part, since it means minimum lodging fees. Having no recollection of paying, I guess that someone willingly let me in as a guest into one of the most secure and private safe areas as designated by the game servers. No doubt that this someone was the very same player who rescued me off the cold streets.

As I ponder this mysterious player's whereabouts, the brass knob that I'm reaching for turns and the door opens from the other side. It's her. The girl with long chestnut brown hair, milky alabaster skin and emerald hazel eyes, which briefly sparks with the glint of mild surprise.

"You're awake," she says in a monotone, then pauses, "and well rested," she adds tiredly, almost seemingly jealous.

"Yes. Thank you," I reply hesitantly, unsure of what else to say. I realize with a pang of guilt that I was the one who unintentionally stole her single bed. "I'm deeply sorry for any trouble I caused."

"It is no problem at all. Anything in this virtual world is false and meaningless anyways. What truly matters is that you are alright." The girl turns and beckons me with one hand to follow. "Come on, you must be starving. Let's get you some breakfast."

At this point I realize that the amount of «Col» needed to accommodate yourself and guest for seven days and seven nights is staggeringly high even at very cheap lodging rates. Her starting funds, a set amount allotted to all new players, should almost be depleted by now, assuming that she hasn't ventured beyond the walls of the City of Beginnings to earn more. I shake my head. "No, I'm okay. In fact, let me pay back all the money I owe you now."

Her brow raises and she eyes me up and down, clearly not believing that I'm okay. She's right, my throat is parched and my stomach is rumbling. If it weren't for the extensive Soul Translator hardware, such minor details wouldn't have been so strikingly obvious. "I insist on the meal. You can pay me everything back later."

Not wanting to offend her, I decide to accept the offer. As we silently walk down the hall, I briefly wonder how this player retained her pretty avatar customizations. It then dawns on me that this is her natural appearance from real life and I force back an awkward blush. I deduce that she is about my age, perhaps a bit older judging by her mature composure. Her equipment consists of brown plain boots, a starter one-handed rapier, a white one-piece dress, and a scarlet red cloak with a riding hood that reminds me of a certain children's fairy tale fantasy. In reality, she can so easily fit in as one of the popular, athletic and scholarly kids at my school. Just what exactly is her motive for playing this game?

We reach the ground floor, which turns out to be a local tavern. Unfortunately, the piping hot dishes and bar ale is not a complimentary service. We sit at a table across from each other and only order «Black Bread» for 1 «Col» from the non-player controlled (NPC) bartender. The loaf is hard, tasteless and would greatly benefit from a fruit jam or milky cream spread, both of which I do not possess at this very moment. With each bite, the gnawing sensation of hunger fades away, though I know that not a single morsel is reaching my real body. I shudder to think that I'm really being force fed by a tube stuck down my throat with multiple needles stuck in my arms for intravenous therapy. Oh well, whatever keeps me alive I guess.

"You're not going out there are you?" She suddenly questions, while handing me a «Bottled Fountain Water» from her inventory.

I down the drink, wondering what she is getting at. After putting down the canteen, I find myself glimpsing into her eyes: cold, empty, and without purpose. "I- If you're referring to the wilderness outside the City of Beginnings, then yes. Yes I am."

She makes no effort to touch her bland meal, as if she cannot stomach it. "You're going to die then. Almost everyone who goes out there dies," she states in a sorrowful voice. It's as if it was an undeniable fact. The inevitable.

I shake my head in disbelief. "That's impossible. There surely must be some really strong, higher leveled players who have cleared the way to the second or third floor by now."

The girl sighs despondently and looks to floor for the slightest of moments. "I'm afraid not. Nobody has even found the first floor boss yet."

It takes awhile for her words to sink in. "No way. That's impossible," I mutter in disbelief and sink down into my seat. "Aren't there tons of players ready to take on the world of Aincrad? What have they all been doing in all this time?"

"There are two groups. Those who accepted this death game and those who did not. The latter simply wait, believing that help will eventually come from the experts and authorities in the real world. The former try to fight just enough monsters to scrape a living. Either way, very little progress has been made so far. The most insane and desperate of us travel to the southern edge of the city and leap into the oblivion below. After disappearing in a sea of clouds, their names are crossed out from the Monument of Life," she replies with a slightly quivering voice. However, her expression does not betray the horror of recalling those terrible memories.

This unfamiliar place sounds like a crematorium or a graveyard. It reminds me of visits to my parent's graves every year, even though I know so little about them. "Where exactly is this Monument of Life?"

"At the center of the city."

I nod in understanding. That location used to be the «Room of Resurrection» during the beta-test, where players revive after their character avatar died. When death wasn't permanent, we would all re-spawn with silly, embarrassed smiles on our faces and eager to run back into danger. I never really did feel the true weight of my own mortality, until now. "By any chance, could you please take me there?"

She brings a hand to her chin to think it over. "Alright. If that is what it takes to change your mind," she replies and then stores away her meal for later. She then drapes her hood over her head and moves to lead the way.

After leaving the stuffy inn, a fresh breeze of crisp air fills my lungs and I'm glad to finally be outside. It's a long walk and I take the time to observe the state of affairs within the city. At first glance, nothing seems to have changed and the NPC crowd bustles normally about. Bankers managing money, keeping the economy from stagnating. Merchant caravans arriving from other resource towns, delivering supplies and commodities for trade. Children of nobles heading to the academy, learning different styles of swordsmanship. Knights patrolling the roads, keeping the streets safe. To be honest, I truly believe that this dynamic world could grow and go on indefinitely if left alone.

It is then that I spot out the irregularities. A player can be easily distinguished from an NPC in plain sight if you focus your central vision directly on their character avatar, which causes a holographic green cursor to appear over their head. I notice that not every player are locked up in inns, as there seem to be a few amongst the crowd working hard in order to genuinely integrate into this newfound society. Unfortunately, countless others are dejectedly huddling together in the alleyways. They cannot afford virtual food without any money, leading to the false sense of hunger due to artificial signals from the Nerve Gear. Yet, it's impossible to really die of hunger if your real body is being force fed. The end result: eternal starvation. I can actually sympathize with those attempting suicide, hoping that they would wake up from this nightmare.

My thoughts shift as we pass the Central Square and into the Black Iron Palace. It's a fortress with its own set of battlements, siege equipment, prison, living quarters and meeting rooms. It's one of the first locations to be available for purchase as a guild's headquarters, not that anybody could afford it at this early stage of the game. Its innermost structure houses the Room of Res- no, the Monument of Life, a holy sanctuary of stain glass windows and white granite floors. Its reflective onyx walls are large enough to fit countless player in-game names. Almost as if accessing the system assist outside of combat, a foreign influence guides me to walk slowly towards my own written in small font: **Kirito**. I trace every letter with my fingers. It's my identity, my proof of existence, and a combination of my real last and first name: Kirigaya Kazuto.

My attention then turns to an adjacent stranger's name. A single line crosses through, striking it out. Cause of death: «Falling in Midair». I shudder, attempting to figure how one can die from a fall without hitting the ground. I try to imagine his or her last moments, knowing that any future he or she had is now gone forever. A part of me wants to remain safely hidden within the city. I would be lying if I force myself to think otherwise. However, there's no guarantee that «Safe Areas» will persist forever and there will surely be discord and mistrust growing between the paranoid players. As a competitive MMO gamer, I want to win, regardless of the higher stakes. I want to see my family again. I want to apologize for everything that I've put them through.

"I'm going," I affirm to myself with renewed resolve.

"I see," the girl says bitterly. She then steps between me and the exit and draws the starter one-handed rapier at her waist. A metallic ring echoes throughout the halls from the friction between blade and sheath. "I cannot bear to watch another person die, but I cannot force you to stay against your own will. So we will have to compromise. As payment for sheltering you these past few days, I ask only one thing. Duel me."

I recoil a step back in surprise, wondering if I misheard her words. "What? Why would you want to-"

"I've witnessed frustrated players duel to let off some steam, but this is different. Let's make a deal. If you win, then you can go. If not, then you will have to listen to me," she declares out loud, causing all the other visiting players paying their respects to glare at us.

"Wait! You heard what Kayaba Akihiko said in the official tutorial. Pain absorbers are off! Every strike will be excruciating," I exclaim, trying to convince her that this is very bad idea. You will feel every bruise, every cut, every stab, every broken bone. The only saving grace is that our real bodies are in a location where medical treatment is instantly accessible, eliminating the risk of permanent neuronal damage or superficial disfigurement.

"If you are worrying about the pain, then you should forget about fighting against a horde of monsters," she speaks back calmly. "It is better this way."

I get that she does not want other people to die if she could help it. But from what I've seen, I feel that she is one step away from recklessly throwing away her own life, harbouring the belief that everything will turn out for the worse in the end. This is a duel that I refuse to back down from. "I will not let this death game change who I am. We definitely have the potential to become stronger than all of this!"

The girl gasps and then frowns, seemingly in conflict with herself, while a few hushed whispers emanates from our curious audience. Our gazes meet and for the first time, I see her smile. "Alright. Prove it to me then."

«**Asuna** has challenged you to a duel. Do you accept?»

We never took the time for introductions, but now I know that her name is Asuna. I consent and set the mode to «First Strike», which means that one of us has to land one clean decisive hit for victory. This mode isn't as dangerous as «Total Loss», «Half Loss» or «Time-Limit mode», which requires the duelist to actually reduce the opponent's HP bar to 'zero', 'half' or 'less than your own' respectively. As I draw my starter one-handed straight sword from the sheath on my back, a holographic 60-second digital timer appears that pings as every second ticks away. Once it expires, this one-versus-one match will officially begin.

«60... 59... 58... »

Assuming that my opponent is level 1, she wouldn't have acquired any stat points to improve her combat performance. There are five stat attributes: Strength (STR), Agility (AGI), Intelligence (INT), Dexterity (DEX), and Vitality (VIT). STR increases your normal attack damage and sword skill power, AGI increases your movement speed and normal attack speed, INT increases your sword skill cooldown reduction and magical resistance, DEX increases your physical defense and recovery rate from abnormal status effects, VIT increases your maximum HP and stamina reserves. With all of these at base value, this should be a fair fight.

«29... 28... 27... »

Her weapon points towards me. However, I can spot many openings in her form. There's a possibility that she's a total beginner, but it would be unwise to underestimate her. I take an offensive stance that I acquired from many months of playing the SAO beta-test: placing my left foot forward, lowering my waist and pointing my blade downwards. By shifting my center of gravity, I can rapidly dash towards my opponent and quickly end this. If I can help it, I would prefer to win without hurting her. I can try to disarm her or break her less durable, flimsy rapier. Anything to prevent her from setting the pace of this fight.

«3... 2... 1... DUEL START!»

The start buzzer blares off and I begin to make my move. However, I watch in shock as Asuna beats me to the punch and closes the distance to me first. Her rapier flashes with a blinding white light traveling directly to my heart. It's the one-hit strike, «Sword Skill: Linear», being executed flawlessly. Time seems to slow down and I can hear my heart beating loudly as the attack gets closer and closer. At the last moment, I activate the «Sword Skill: Diagonal» to desperately parry it away. There's a loud metallic clang as metal meets metal and her deflected rapier narrowly misses my head and cuts away small strands of my virtual hair.

"That was just a warning shot," she whispers with a cool demeanour. Her eyes are still focusing on my upper body as if it were one giant target. "Hm. Your reaction time is quite impressive."

"And your movement speed is just way too fast," I reply half jokingly, though I'm already breathing excitedly with all the adrenaline coursing through my veins. Just how is this possible? How is she so fast without any extra AGI points?

I quickly slash down, hoping she will bring back her rapier to hastily block and lose a bit of durability, but she nimbly side steps out of the way. We then lock our weapons together and I use my free hand to try and break her grip, but she reads this and blocks it with her own free hand. She leaps back to create some breathing room for herself and then launches a flurry of piercing normal attacks, using the extension of her arm and the long reach of the rapier's tip for some added range. I can only fall back against this barrage, suspecting that the duels she witnessed are actually duels she participated in. I can't hold back now. Landing a decisive blow is my only chance at winning.

I narrow my eyes on her rapier, knowing that she has to retract her attacking arm back in order to ready another thrust forwards. The window of opportunity is very small considering her high speeds, but I keep watching, intent on achieving perfect timing on my counter attack. As she pulls her rapier back for the seventh-time, I draw a deep breath and launch myself towards her with a single leap. I aim for her upper body and start the initial movements for the «Sword Skill: Vertical». The system assist takes over and builds up energy in my arm and my short sword begins to glow with that familiar blue ethereal sheen. I then swing, my blade whistling as it cuts through the air. This time, Asuna is the one struggling to cancel out my attack with her «Linear».

After a few more blows, our swords lock again. I give her a mischievous grin. "By the way, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Kirito, pleased to meet you. My hobbies are gaming and napping."

My opponent can't help but elicit a small giggle. "I'm Asuna. My recent pastime is watching your sleeping face."

"W- What?" I stammer out, feeling my cheeks turn red at the absurd, embarrassing thought.

"Just kidding," she replies teasingly. Well, at least this is a big improvement from her empty persona at the beginning of the day. She's pretty cute when she smiles.

Forcing the unnecessary thoughts out, I lean my weight forward to push her away and free my blade. I then slash horizontally as quick as I can, but the attack passes harmlessly overhead as she ducks and compactly twirls a full 360 degrees to add momentum to her upcoming thrust. I parry the blow and chain my movements into a string of improvised combinations, but she dodges each in a series of fluid steps. We keep dancing around each other, exchanging positions and running around to find angles that will yield any openings. It's an intense, hard, non-stop stalemate. Minutes pass and I can already feel the sweat soaking my clothing. My arms and legs are screaming with burning fatigue. My stamina reserves are almost out and I know that I have to make a winning play now.

Her rapier cuts through my left arm, my short sword grazes her left leg, both are light enough to not be a decisive hit. We both wince and stumble, knowing that it's now or never. I grit my teeth to fight off the sharp pain and decide to go all in. I swing at her vulnerable side with all of my might and watch as she does the same. I- I can't do it. My blade stops an inch short of her neck. I close my eyes waiting for her strike to land and the promised agony that will follow, but I shockingly feel nothing. I curiously open one eye and see that she too had halted her blade before it could cut through my own neck. It's strange, staring into her eyes, almost peering into her soul. I can tell that she's carrying burdens, worries and expectations. I wonder what she sees when she looks into my own eyes.

"You're alone," she mutters sadly. Her breathing is ragged and heavy. "Hey- You're a good person. Aren't you?"

"Why?" I ask in a dry, raspy voice. Due to the safety restrictions of «First Strike Mode», a player cannot die or be decapitated even with a clean blow to the neck. There was absolutely nothing to worry about. "You could've won."

"The same goes for you too," she replies back in her monotone, which somehow carries more emotion than ever before. "The reason I stopped is because I think you're right. I can be who I choose to be in this death game."

I sigh in relief. "Draw?" I offer.

"Draw," she contently answers back.

«DUEL DRAW!»

I relax and lower my short sword when the holographic display confirms neither my victory or loss. Suddenly, the audience around us begins to clap and cheer. I look around in awe, realizing that I completely forgot about their presence. Some faces display satisfaction from witnessing an entertaining fight. Other faces display relief from the fact that nobody got seriously hurt. You would think that a fight in a place meant to respect the dead would offend at least one player, but there are no looks of disapproval or anger amongst those leaving. Who knows? Maybe my original message meant for Asuna sank into their hearts as well.

"Ow. It hurts," Asuna moans as she inspects the small wound to her right leg. It is not a censored virtual gash, but actual torn flesh with blood dripping out.

"Here. Use this." I pull out a glass vial containing a red concoction from my inventory and casually toss it to her. It's a health potion that will mend any open wounds and slowly restore HP.

"Thanks," she replies softly before uncorking the vial and taking a sip. She then grimaces in disgust. "Ugh. Tastes like medicine."

"Well, that's exactly what it is," I shake my head, hoping my tone doesn't sound sarcastic. I'm sometimes told that I come off as a bit straightforward and rude without even realizing it. "Don't worry. The brand of elixirs on the higher floors will taste better, almost like a variety of fruit juices. Eventually there will be magic healing crystals that don't require drinking altogether."

"Hmm. You are really that confident that we'll make it to the next floor," Asuna hums in amusement. "Well it is settled then. You are taking me along for the journey."

"What do you mean?" I ask, since her words strangely sounded like an order.

"You remember our wager right?" She answers while sheathing her rapier away. "You now have to do everything I say."

"But I didn't lose?" I exclaim in confusion.

"That's not what we agreed on," she says and grabs me by the collar, her face just a few inches from mine. "I said if you win, then you can go. If not, then you will have to listen to me. Consider your debt paid."

"I- I, that is-" I stutter in exasperation and sweat drop. She's totally right. "You do know that you're putting your life in my hands. Do you trust me?"

She tilts her head, as if I just asked a question with an answer as plain as day. Her expression is free of any conflict and doubt. "Yes, I do. We're partners from now on. Please take care of me, Kirito-kun."

ooo

It's time to finally take action. In order to become more powerful in combat, a player must continuously raise their level and upgrade their equipment. Thus, our first primary objective is to acquire new weapons. Asuna needs a «Wind Fleuret», found in the «Delivery of the Bread Basket» quest. I need an «Anneal Blade», found in the «Secret Medicine of the Forest» quest. Both involve hunting down D-class and even C-class monsters that spawn at very low encounter rates. Certain internet forums like MMO Today speculate rates as low as 0.5% or 1 in every 200, which is 10 times less than the rates during the beta-test. However, it's well worth the investment in time and effort. These two weapons surpass the quality of bronze and iron tier weapons forged by the NPC blacksmiths. With proper maintenance and upgrades from a player blacksmith, both can last well into the third floor.

We head to a nearby general store. It's here that I sell all the «Ivory Tusks», «Boar Meat» and «Swine Leather» that dropped from the frenzy boars a week ago. I then use the money to buy as many health potions and antidote potions as possible. Also, I notice for this week only, an event NPC is handing out one random article of clothing and one dye ampoule filled with any colour of your choice. This is probably where Klein got his maroon red bandana and Asuna got her scarlet red cloak. I manage to obtain a lunar cotton long-sleeve shirt that actually offers respectable bonuses in physical defense and magical resistance, going beyond the current standards for regular cloth armour. Naturally, I dye it pure black to match with my black pants. What can I say? I have a strong affinity for black clothing.

Without wasting anymore time, we leave the City of Beginnings and travel towards Horunka Village. The trip through the green meadows is a leisurely stroll, but the hike in the dark forest is a brutal challenge. It's necessary to take the correct combination of hidden trails that detours around large mobs of dangerous monsters. These trails unfortunately are narrow, slippery, dense with foliage and goes up and down steep hills. In order not to be caught off guard by a random stray, I keep my «Searching» skill active at all times. «Searching» essentially heightens my visual senses, allowing me to detect living beings cloaked in camouflage or darkness. It's also useful for finding interesting drops that one would normally miss. The more I practice, the more proficient I become in this skill. For now, I only have 1 out of 1000 points before I achieve master rank.

"You are a beta-tester right?" Asuna suddenly asks in a low audible volume. Even while fatigued, she's still functionally alert and cautious.

"Yes," I answer, seeing no reason to lie.

"You should be careful then," she warns, her expression darkening. It's as if being a beta-tester is the equivalent of being a notorious criminal shown on primetime television.

"What do mean?"

"While you were unconscious, a few charismatic leaders rose up. They did good things, from finding shelter for underage players to equally dividing up the monsters around the city so that that as many players as possible can earn enough to eat. Still, the need for resources was high and as a response, they rallied volunteers for expedition parties to go deeper into the wilderness. The expedition encountered a solo player who claimed to be a beta-tester. He then requested their help, because the item he was looking for was taking forever to drop. They agreed on the condition the beta-tester would help them with their tasks afterwards. That item did drop, but the beta-tester repaid their work with betrayal. He triggered some sort of trap that caused every monster in a five kilometer radius to swarm them."

"No," I mutter and pale, knowing the destructive nature of this trap. There's a monster in these parts known as the level 3, E-class Little Nepent. Sometimes a D-class deviant appears with a large fruit on its plant-like stalk. A player intentionally striking this fruit will trigger the release of a foul smoke, a pheromone, which attracts every other monster in the area.

"With their numbers, the players should have still won that battle, but fear overpowered reason. These volunteers are just students and workers, not soldiers ready to take on things with corrosive acid and sharp teeth. It was an utter disaster. Any sort of resistance that could be formulated through teamwork was instantly lost the moment they decided it was every man for himself. Only three survivors made it back to the City of Beginnings to tell their story. Since then, the number of players willing to venture out drastically decreased and the bulk of the blame fell upon the beta-testers."

"So that's how it is," I sigh dejectedly. I didn't even do anything and I already have a lot of enemies. "Ah well. Thanks for the heads-up."

"No problem."

We cross the wooden palisades of Horunka Village into its «Safe Area» and attract the glances of a few curious strangers. Shrugging it off, I lead the way into a private log cabin to find a «Village Missus» NPC with a holographic gold exclamation mark floating over head. All quests are like interactive plays and movies, where players have to listen to all the NPC's scripted dialogue and make decisions that will impact the storyline. For example, in this «Delivery of the Bread Basket» quest, slaying the mini-boss leads to the good ending and a high «Exp» payout. Slaying the mini-boss with the help of an NPC woodcutter leads to the good ending and a low «Exp» payout. Failure to discover the mini-boss and subsequently not slaying it, which happens when you do not deliver the bread basket, leads to the bad ending with no «Exp» payout.

To get the «Wind Fleuret», we need to achieve the secret ending, which I knew nothing about until a certain information broker told me about it months ago. The mini-boss is called the «Wolf King», who plans to devour the «Village Grandmother» NPC in a cottage to the west. The player has 30 minutes to deliver the bread basket there, subsequently being present to prevent the bad ending. Cryptically enough, the player can head in the opposite direction towards the east and slay mobs of the level 3, E-class «Wolf». In order to defend its kin, the «Wolf King» may randomly spawn at the rate of a C-class monster. If it's beaten here, the rare rapier will drop. If not, the player has to return to the village and restart this repeatable quest all over again. Whether this was intended or not, nobody truly knows except members of the now nonexistent GM game content development team.

Our hunting party of two departs from the village in record time. While slowly advancing east, I use «Searching» to mark down every Little Nepent spawn point, Wolf spawn point and safe area along the forest river bank on paper. This tedious procedure is commonly known as mapping, which is useful not only for efficient leveling, but also for drawing up multiple return paths in case a hasty retreat is necessary. It's also useful for formulating tactical strategies. First, wolves come in groups of five and will work together to coordinate attacks from your blind spots. Second, the pack leader has a tendency to attack first and go for the throat. Third, these beasts have rabies and their fangs will inflict a «Poisoned» status that causes a movement speed debuff and constant HP loss. Fourth, the last one standing will howl, which specifically calls over the nearest pack. Unless you're in a safe area, there will be no time to make use of a slow acting health or antidote potion.

This is far enough. I turn to Asuna, wondering how her Player versus Player (PvP) skills will carry over to Player versus Environment (PvE). "You ready for this?"

"Of course," she answers before brandishing her blade. "Let's see if your plans really work."

There's no turning back now. The first pack of wolves are instinctually aware of our presence and snap their heads toward our direction. They're similar to large dogs, but with even bigger paws, longer legs, straighter tails, and narrower chests. As we dare to draw closer, the monsters snarl, growl and flash their fangs to intimidate us for infringing on their territory and for a brief moment, I falter with fear. This must be how the members of the expedition parties felt before they fell apart. These monsters are supposed to be mere data brought to life by artificial intelligence, yet they somehow radiate an aura of murderous killing intent. I shake the feeling off and stand my ground as the wolves run around to encircle us, cutting off any means of escape. I nod at Asuna and we assume a solid back-to-back formation. Plan A: Defensive Turtling. This should cover our blind spots and bait the wolves into attacking head on.

As expected, the pack leader proudly leaps at me intent on clamping its infected fangs around my arm. I punish it by bringing my short sword down on its large head with a strong «Vertical» and its HP bar falls into the yellow zone below 50%. The wolf whimpers and falls back, allowing another to take its place. This one rabidly nips at my legs in an attempt to herd me away from Asuna, but I keep it at bay with successive normal attacks. It eventually gives up and instead commits to a heavy pounce from my two o'clock, while the maimed leader does the same from my ten o'clock. In response to the two-pronged attack, I activate a «Horizontal» to swing my blade in a wide arc and catch them both. The pack leader's HP bar falls into the red zone below 10% and its partner HP falls into the yellow zone, yet they both only seem to be angrier. I almost forgot how high the learning curve is when making the transition from frenzy boars to wolves.

«Congratulations. You have reached level 2!»

It takes awhile, but our party dispatches the last wolf. A desperate howl and the shattering sound of polygons is drowned out by a majestic fanfare of woodwind, brass and string instruments along with an angelic choir. That's right, I was almost about to level up before this death game began. I open my main menu window and select the first option, a character icon, to find that the system awarded me with 3 new stat points. I invest 1 point into STR and 2 points into AGI. This distribution simply fits my fluid, agile play style. There's an infinite amount of ways to build your character avatar. For example, pure STR for a glass cannon, STR/DEX for a bruiser, VIT/DEX for a physical tank, VIT/INT for a magical tank, pure AGI for an assassin playstyle, etc. The concept is sort of like how sprinters and marathon runners focus on improving different aspects of their bodies to perform better in their drastically different races.

"We actually did it," Asuna breathes in amazement. She then peeks over my shoulder to observe what I'm doing. "A level up? Hmm- Teach me about this later okay?"

"Sure. At the next safe area," I reply enthusiastically. It's good that she's eager to learn. "By the way, how much of the instruction manual did you read?"

There's a short moment of silence. "None. The only experience I really have with electronics is my cell phone for texting and my computer for e-mails. I thought I would pick up all the important details in the official tutorial. And as we all know, that did not really work out."

As a competitive gamer, a small part of me dies a little from hearing this. Her technology deficiency may be on par with Sugu. "And you managed to duel me and fight these wolves so skillfully. That's amazing!"

Her expression brightens. "Moving on, we should get ready. As you said, another pack will be here soon. The score is currently three to two."

Wait. We're keeping count of a score? "Not fair! I took down the pack leader. That should count for at least two points."

"Too bad."

We fight more wolves- hundreds over the course of five torturous hours. That's ten return trips to the village to restart the «Delivery of the Bread Basket» quest. That's ten times the poor «Village Grandmother» NPC was gobbled up by the «Wolf King». It will now spawn at level 4, since Asuna and I both managed to reach level 3. It's programmed to be always stronger than its opponent by a small margin, up to a limit of level 10, meaning it will always be a challenge to players of this floor. On the bright side, the wolves dropped a lot of «Col», «Wolf Fangs», and «Wolf Pelts», allowing us to buy more potions and repair our starter short sword and rapier. Both lost a lot of durability and were dangerously close to the end of its lifespan. Having a weapon break on you in the middle of battle pretty much equates to death.

Dusk is fast approaching, but I do not want to call it a day just yet. The last place I want to be right now is another lodging inn. Before I can utter out another complaint of frustration, a deafening roar thunders from an unmarked spawn point, causing hundreds of birds to flee to the skies. It's the polar reverse of a howl, which drives every monster away and de-buffs players outside this quest, ensuring that there will be minimal interference in this upcoming showdown. Finally, the king has made its appearance, ready to be dethroned; A werewolf with fur so black, light appears to distort around it. Even if referred to as a mini-boss, there's nothing miniature about this 6 foot tall beast standing on all fours. A burning aura of hatred like an unquenchable flame rises from its hunched back as not one, but two whole HP bars appear over its head next to its name written in a malignant purple.

The Wolf King glares at me and bares his malicious white canines to intimidate me before slinking into the tree line. It's hard to see him in the darkness with all that black fur, another reason why I love that colour so much. I activate my «Searching» skill to nullify his stealth advantage and notice the gap between us has been considerably reduced. His claws begins to gather a gale of wind, which cuts cleanly through the nearby leaves. This is bad. That's a sword skill! Fearing the worst, my reflexes kick in and I raise my blade not a moment too soon. The slicing blow connects to my guard and the feedback surging through my arms is enough to knock me off my feet. It's not a direct hit, but my HP bar in my peripheral vision still drops from 75% to 70%. I recover from the «Tumble» and refocus on my opponent who is roaring once again in triumph.

The Wolf King supposedly does not use sword skills if you fight it at the westward cottage. It was wrong of me to assume that the situation would be exactly same here at the eastern riverbank. He leaps away from Asuna's retaliation and begins once again to weave around the nearby trees and boulders. I ready myself in a defensive stance, intent on doing what I did before in the duel at the Monument of Life. Fight fire with fire or in this case, cancel out sword skill with sword skill. I unleash a «Diagonal» and its trajectory intersects with my opponent's vengeful claw strike. There's a brief moment to register his displeased feral snarl before an incredible pressure from the inelastic collision sends us both flying back. He's now vulnerable. "Now Asuna! Switch!"

Asuna acknowledges my signal and charges in with her astounding speed. She then blindsides the Wolf King by unleashing that perfect «Linear» into his bulky gut, which sends him careening into the deep river with a large splash. Success. Plan B: Switching, which only works if you outnumber your opponent. This tactical strategy involves two or more players rotating in and out of combat, instead of double teaming side-by-side and possibly getting in each other's way. The player in the front can inflict damage or tank the opponent's attacks or inflict status effects, such as a «Stun». The player in the back has breathing room to recover with a health potion or in this case, exploit any openings made by the front player.

The Wolf King effortlessly fights the rapid current and emerges seemingly unscathed. I notice in despair that his first HP bar has dropped only by a small visible sliver. As expected of a mini-boss, even at just level 4, he can take more than twenty times the damage of a regular level 3 wolf. There's no time for a drawn out battle. There's roughly ten minutes left before this quest reaches its bad ending for the eleventh time. I really don't want to know what will happen after that. If he flees, then we lose the rare rapier. If he stays, then his roar will heavily debuff us. Either way, we have to finish this now!

I regroup with Asuna and we run in side by side. Both of us understand that we have to take the offensive. "Asuna! Can you cancel out his sword skill this time? I want to try something out!"

"Okay."

My partner charges in and thrusts her sword forward in a flash of white light. The Wolf King responds with its vengeful claw strike and his drenched fur sprays fine droplets of water in all directions as both attacks come to a violent halt. Seizing this chance, I switch in and unleash a «Vertical» upon the mini-boss's head, which multiplies my base damage than if I had struck the body or the limbs. As I recover from my post cooldown motion, my opponent gets up and attempts to hobble away. But, I'm not done yet. I dash several metres with my new basic one-handed sword rush technique, «Rage Spike» and stab my opponent square in the eyes. It's a critical hit, where damage drastically increases if you hit a weak point, such as the thin plant stalk of a Little Nepent or the throat of a Wolf. I would have dealt more critical hit damage if I went for a vital organ such as the heart, but I don't have enough STR to cut that deep.

This time, the Wolf King loses a huge chunk of health and stumbles back, clutching his eyes in anguish. Before he can even regain his balance, Asuna unleashes another sword skill. We attack like this over and over again until the first HP bar drains to empty and the second HP bar turns from green to yellow. However, like its brethren, this mini-boss becomes faster and stronger with rage. It's becoming harder to maintain this relentless assault as its HP bar falls into the red zone. Asuna and I are only teaming up for the first time and we aren't in full synchronization. The mistakes from our teamwork is small, though it all adds up and our own HP bars fall into the yellow. Two minutes left? One minute left? I can hardly think from the pain searing from the lacerations on my arms and legs. For some odd reason, I can hear my grandfather's disappointed voice asking, "Are you going to give up?"

All I can do is muster a defiant roar as equally ferocious as my opponent's and my short sword finds its mark across the monster's throat. There's a sickening gurgling sound, which is quickly silenced by the thrust of a rapier. Finally, its massive form goes slack and the wind wrapping around his claws disperses. The expression on its face is filled with regret for not avenging his kin. He then slowly falls to the muddy ground with a thud and explodes into thousands of polygons, each fragment shimmering with light like the waters of the river. The terse existence known as the Wolf King is gone from the world of Aincrad and the next Wolf King that will spawn for another party will have no memory of the events that have transpired today. Even though I eliminated something that was seeking my life, I can't help but feel sorry for him. It feels like I just lost a piece of my innocence.

«Col: +1000 **-** Exp: +1200 (x1.2 Party Bonus) **-** Drops: Wind Fleuret, Black Breeze Boots»

"I guess I win," Asuna whispers in satisfaction and sadness, staring at the place the mini-boss once lay.

I realize that she's talking about the score to which I can only shake my head. I then attempt to mimic her words from earlier. "Too bad. This one only counts for 1 point."

"Eh? I guess I did say something like that," she mumbles almost incoherently before her trembling legs finally gives out. It seems that overwhelming fatigue is finally getting the best of her.

"H- Hey!" I exert myself to catch her before she hits the ground and check to make sure she's alright. A few health potions later and I find myself carrying a sleepy Asuna back to the village via the quickest return point. Déjà vu. I'm pretty sure the reverse has happened earlier this week. Well, at least now we only need 1 night of normal sleep, instead of 7 whole days of an abnormal comatose. Really, this person. She has the enormous potential to become something amazing. Deep inside, I really want to see what kind of flower she will bloom into in this virtual world.

Overall. It's been an interesting day.


End file.
